A Michigan man has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly abusing his 2-year-old stepdaughter who ultimately died.WNDU reports Lance Reeves, 46, of St. Joseph, faces charges of open murder, two counts of second-degree child abuse and one count of third-degree child abuse.Court documents stated Reeves repeatedly and violently shook 2-year-old Savannah Garder in October of 2016, but charges were filed on Dec. 21. WSBT reported Reeves was at his home in Dowagiac with Savannah and Savannah's mother. He told police that after he put Savannah down for a nap, he stepped away from the room and heard her yell."He went back into the room and Savannah was in bed, white as a piece of paper," wrote investigators in a probable cause affidavit. Reeves and Savannah's mother took Savannah to a local hospital where she later died.Autopsy results indicated Savannah had multiple contusions and a severed spine. Her cause of death was listed as "traumatic injury of the torso" and her death was ruled a homicide. MLive reported that, according to the charging complaint against Reeves, he did “knowingly and intentionally commit an act that was cruel to a child by repeatedly and violently shaking Savannah Gardner.”Investigators uncovered another incident that took place in April of 2016, in which a witness said she saw Reeves "pick Savannah up and violently shake her back and forth three or four times" before putting her in a camper. He allegedly told her "shut up" and "not to come out until she quit crying," according to court documents.“This matter, I mean obviously it’s a significant tragedy whenever somebody at the age of 2 or any age you know passes away," said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. "But when it’s under these circumstances, it’s even more of a tragedy”Reeves has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in jail.Officials have not explained the gap in time between the child’s death and the recent charges.

SAINT JOSEPH, Mich. —

A Michigan man has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly abusing his 2-year-old stepdaughter who ultimately died.

WNDU reports Lance Reeves, 46, of St. Joseph, faces charges of open murder, two counts of second-degree child abuse and one count of third-degree child abuse.

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Court documents stated Reeves repeatedly and violently shook 2-year-old Savannah Garder in October of 2016, but charges were filed on Dec. 21.

WSBT reported Reeves was at his home in Dowagiac with Savannah and Savannah's mother. He told police that after he put Savannah down for a nap, he stepped away from the room and heard her yell.

"He went back into the room and Savannah was in bed, white as a piece of paper," wrote investigators in a probable cause affidavit.

Reeves and Savannah's mother took Savannah to a local hospital where she later died.

Autopsy results indicated Savannah had multiple contusions and a severed spine. Her cause of death was listed as "traumatic injury of the torso" and her death was ruled a homicide.

MLive reported that, according to the charging complaint against Reeves, he did “knowingly and intentionally commit an act that was cruel to a child by repeatedly and violently shaking Savannah Gardner.”

Investigators uncovered another incident that took place in April of 2016, in which a witness said she saw Reeves "pick Savannah up and violently shake her back and forth three or four times" before putting her in a camper. He allegedly told her "shut up" and "not to come out until she quit crying," according to court documents.

“This matter, I mean obviously it’s a significant tragedy whenever somebody at the age of 2 or any age you know passes away," said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. "But when it’s under these circumstances, it’s even more of a tragedy”

Reeves has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in jail.

Officials have not explained the gap in time between the child’s death and the recent charges.